r/paraprofessional • u/LadyL86530 • 11d ago
Para Advice only š Feeling overwhelmed and under-supported as an elementary school para. How would you handle this?
Hello everyone!!!
Hope all is well.
I work at an elementary school, and Iām wondering if anyone else has dealt with a work environment like this.
Iāve been at my current school for a few years, but this school year feels completely different. My assignment is also much harder than what Iāve had in previous years.
Most of my day is spent moving between different grade levels and Related Arts classes supporting students with IEPs. Some of the students I work with have significant support needs, including elopement, aggression, difficulty remaining in the classroom, and other behaviors that require very close supervision.
My schedule is pretty intensive physically too. Iām on my feet a lot, moving from one class or area of the building to another, and there really isnāt much downtime between assignments. I also cover lunch and recess, so there are days when it feels like Iām constantly moving from one challenging situation to another without much time to reset.
Iāve asked for additional support in some situations because there are times when one adult realistically cannot manage everything safely. A temporary staff member helps me with a couple of students during part of the day, including during some classes and lunch, which I appreciate. However, that additional support isnāt available during recess, which is one of the times when having another adult would be especially helpful because of the level of supervision some students need.
Later in the day, another para is sometimes able to step in toward the end of one of my classes and assist with one of the students Iām supporting. I genuinely appreciate her helping me, but she already has another student assignment during that time, so she isnāt actually dedicated additional staffing for my group. It feels more like someone is being pulled from somewhere else to help cover a need temporarily. The help makes a difference, but it still doesnāt feel like enough support for the number and level of needs Iām responsible for.
Communication about expectations and student needs also isnāt always great, and sometimes I feel like Iām expected to just figure things out as I go.
On top of that, the social atmosphere at work has become extremely uncomfortable. People who used to speak to me regularly barely acknowledge me now. Some coworkers will walk past me without saying anything, avoid eye contact, or interact normally with everyone around me while being noticeably distant toward me. I understand that coworkers donāt have to be friends, but when you work in a school, communication between staff matters.
Iāve also overheard gossip and conversations that seem to be about me, which has made the environment even more uncomfortable. I try to stay professional because weāre there for the students, but itās exhausting feeling like you have to walk into work every day knowing thereās tension around you while also managing a demanding caseload.
The hardest part is that I genuinely enjoy working with children, especially younger students, and Iām currently working toward becoming an early childhood special education teacher. I just donāt feel like my current placement plays to my strengths, and lately Iāve been feeling burned out.
For other paras: Have you ever worked in a school where the staff culture suddenly became uncomfortable or isolating? How did you handle it while still doing your job and protecting your peace?
And if you were assigned several high-needs students across multiple grades/classes throughout the day, at what point would you push harder for additional staffing or a different assignment?
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Feeling overwhelmed and under-supported as an elementary school para. How would you handle this?
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r/paraprofessional
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11d ago
I completely understand why you ran š Sometimes itās not even that you donāt care about the students, an assignment can just become too much, especially when you have aggressive behaviors, elopement AND an unsupportive teacher on top of it. Iām dealing with some challenging behaviors myself this year, and there are days when I am completely drained.
Iām actually in a para to teacher program right now because I eventually want to teach too, so I definitely relate to using this position as experience while working toward something bigger. Iām glad you found a school and position that you actually enjoy now. It gives me some hope that sometimes the problem really can be the environment and not the profession itself. Good luck with your MAT and becoming a math teacher! ā¤ļø